St John’s Primary SchoolLiteracy Guidelines

Reading

ReadingEnjoyment and choice St John’s has a created a motivating and challenging environment which develops an awareness of the relevance of texts in our lives.

Tools for reading St John’s supports pupils to use texts with increasingly complex or unfamiliar ideas, structures and vocabulary within and beyond their place of learning.

Finding and using informationSt John’s encourages pupils to find and use information by reading and using fiction and non-fiction texts with increasingly complex ideas, structures and specialist vocabulary.

Understanding, analysing and evaluating Pupils have the opportunities to investigate and appreciate fiction and non-fiction texts for different purposes.

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/documents/literacyenglishbenchmarks.pdf

Reading

Enjoyment and Choice We aim to ensure that pupils have access to a range of texts, that they are given

opportunities to listen to and read stories, books magazines, interactive stories. We aim to create a positive culture of reading within the school.

ERIC (Everyone reading in class)All classes allocate time for reading in

class. Pupils are encouraged to read texts of their own. Pupils should be allowed to enjoy reading their books without teacher questioning. In order to track and monitor pupil engagement the regularly complete book reviews and follow up activities in their Reading for Enjoyment Journal.

The Foundry LibraryAll classes have opportunity to visit the local library throughout the year. These visits help to develop an awareness of books as well as

referencing skills.

School LibraryEach fortnight pupils are able to choose books until the next library visit. This

ensures that pupils always have a range of interesting books to choose from and an

opportunity for parents to engage in reading different books at home.

Class LibrariesClass libraries should be attractive and comfortable

to encourage pupils to sit in the library area. They consist of a range of fictional and non fiction

texts at different levels of difficulty and length. Children also have access to Reading for Enjoyment

box of books appropriate to stage.

Library CommitteeMix of children from all stages meet regularly and arrange whole school events linked to reading such as book swaps, First Ministers Reading Challenge

Launch and World Book Day.

The five skills taught in Jolly Phonics

In St John’s Primary we use Jolly Phonics to teach phonics alongside sight vocabulary.

1. Learning the letter soundsChildren are taught the 42 main letter sounds. This includes alphabet sounds as well as digraphs such as sh, th, ai and ue.2. Learning letter formationUsing different multi-sensory methods, children learn how to form and write the letters.3. BlendingChildren are taught how to blend the sounds together to read and write new words.4. Identifying the sounds in words (Segmenting)Listening for the sounds in words gives children the best start for improving spelling.5. Tricky wordsTricky words have irregular spellings and children learn these separately.

Staff should use a range of strategies to support word recognition, vocabulary and spelling using kinaesthetic auditory and visual learning.Homework is a key tool for reinforcing learning, building confidence and keeping skills sharp.

At Early Level we provide opportunities for daily immersion in a print rich environment, leading to a more structured format, combining reciprocal reading, phonics, grammar and writing. All phonemes are taught in line with Jolly Phonics guidelines -four being introduced weekly, alongside Tricky Words.. Storyworlds vocabulary is introduced with readers given out once vocabulary is learned.

At First Level pupils experience specific direct teaching sessions each week, applying reciprocal reading strategies, phonics and grammar to develop a deeper understanding of texts. They are provide with regular opportunities for reading for enjoyment. A phonic rule is taught weekly with children having at least two further opportunities to consolidate through games, activities, puzzles.

At Second Level the school’s spelling programme focuses on a rule each week. Children have opportunities to consolidate and practise these throughout the week through games, activities, puzzles. Pupils should be actively involved in evaluating their learning and to set next steps. The core resource is Nelson Spelling. Pupils are provided with two specific teaching inputs for reading each week. These include comprehension questions, analysing the text and looking at grammatical features.

We directly teach grammar to develop children’s understanding and knowledge of grammar (Grammar Ladder of Progression). We teach grammar weekly (not always a new concept) giving pupils opportunities to reinforce the skills throughout the week.

Children are given opportunities to read individually, paired and in groups. We encourage paired reading across stages.

SWST is administered bi- annually (August and January) in stagesP2-P7. Result are analysed and this ensures pupil needs are met andinforms future planning.

The Nessy Programme can be used across levels to create individualised spelling targets for identified pupils.

Across all levels, children and young people should experience a range of texts throughout their learning to nurture their skills and knowledge in literacy and language. In order to achieve this, teachers will use the Cluster Reading Statement, alongside the more detailed experiences and outcomes, in planning for learning and teaching.

Throughout the reading process, pupils can learn and employ various strategies to develop their understanding of texts. Teachers provide a range of activities that stimulate thought and allow pupils to develop the necessary skills to understand, analyse and evaluate (Higher Order Thinking Skills) what they are reading. This makes children aware that the meaning and impact of a text varies depending on purpose and audience.

Activities which teachers provide include:• Reciprocal reading strategies- questioning, predicting, clarifying, visualising and summarising• Discussion of the concepts of print including title, illustration and blurb• Modelling of different reading strategies• Comprehension questions to develop skills in understanding, analysing and evaluating • Pupil generated questions• Paired reading• Collaborative and Independent reading

Assessment and Moderation

Essential to effective teaching and learning of reading is allowing children to demonstrate their progress through their growing fluency and understanding, and their increasing confidence in reading to learn as well as learning to read. Teachers adopt a range of formative and summative assessment strategies appropriate to the text which include questioning, group discussion, and comprehension tasks. The systematic use of feedback and next steps from the teacher is integral to the teaching and learning process. This allows every child to develop an understanding of how they can progress and improve their skills in reading.

The process of assessment within the Cluster will give every child the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding and their ability to transfer and apply skills they have learned.

Summative assessment of reading is on-going and contributes to Curriculum for Excellence teacher judgements and includes:• Reading Comprehension/Key Comp/Prim-Ed/Focus on Comprehension/Comprehension Box• Close Reading of Texts• ERC Standardised Tests ( P3, P5, P7 and P1 Baseline )• P7 Genre Study (Transition Project)• New Group Reading Tests (P2/P4/P6)

As part of quality assurance teachers will be involved in moderation activities both within their own establishment and across the Cluster. They will follow the LAR process using the ERC Practitioner Moderation Template which will help teachers develop a shared understanding of a common standard. Teachers will have the opportunity for reciprocal learning visits across sectors in order to share good practice and enhance the delivery of education in terms of progression in pupils’ reading skills at each of the transition stages.

St Luke’s High School Cluster Reading Statement

WritingEnjoyment and choice St John’s has a created a motivating and challenging environment which develops an awareness of the relevance of texts in our lives.

Tools for writingSt John’s supports pupils to use knowledge of technical aspects to help their writing communicate effectively within and beyond their place of learning.

Organising and using informationSt John’s encourages pupils to consider texts to help create short and extended texts for different purposes.

Creating textsSt John’s encourages pupils to consider texts to help create short and extended texts for different purposes.

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/documents/literacyenglishbenchmarks.pdf

Writing

Enjoyment and Choice

It is recommended that pupils have experience of a range of genre during the course of the session and are given the opportunity to assess their own work, and the work of their peers,

on a regular basis.

At St John’s pupils have experiences that are both challenging and motivating to allow children to explore a range of text and their relevance to writing. The stimulus for writing

may be generated by pupils’ interests, topical news stories and IDL.

Early LevelDaily opportunities in play leading to a more structured activities such as: dictation, news, storywriting, linked to interdisciplinary learning and reading stimuli as appropriate.

First LevelA specific weekly teaching input with daily opportunities for enrichment.

Second LevelFlexible approach, particularly when introducing new genres, ranging from a specific weekly input which is then revisited in subsequent lessons until completion of the piece of writing.

.

Pupils’ writing content builds up based on pupil experiences, learning focus and mechanics of writing ie., letter patterns and spelling rules; accurate and more complex punctuation and increasing independence.

Across all levels approaches in Writing are progressive to meet the needs of the learner.

Prior to the writing process, pupils can engage in a range of activities that stimulate the thought process and give pupils time to interact and share ideas:

• Choosing and using a range of mark making materials, increasingly to convey meaning• Oral storytelling recorded by scribe/digital media• Telling stories through pictures• Modelling pencil grip for emergent writers• Over writing and underwriting• Building sentences and awareness of basic sentence structure• VCOP: active and collaborative learning• Modelling a particular genre; deconstruction of a text• Writing frames• Planning: oral; talking partners; storyboards; mind maps; published author

(Refer to Writing Guidelines on L Drive)Following the planning stage, the teacher creates a contemplative atmosphere in which pupils are encouraged to become independent learners and demonstrate their ability to apply prior knowledge and skills to the creation of texts. Pupils will access and develop their knowledge of language through the use of a range of resources such as a dictionary, thesaurus, word bank, internet and VCOP.

Drawing together writing skills allowing the writer to create different types of short and extended text. Ideas are developed, showing good structure, sequencing and vocabulary. Pupils vary their writing to suit audience

and purpose.

Early / First Level

Pupils are expected to create their own stories, poems, and plays with interesting structures, characters and settings as well as conveying information, describing events and sharing their own feelings and opinions to persuade the reader. Pupils are supported when appropriate. Planning and gathering information begins at a personal level with talking and listening helping to develop skills in collecting and then classifying what is found. This can also be used in an IDL context or with topical news stories.

First / Second Level

As their skills and experience develop the pupils will begin to create their own writing styles within different genre and express feelings, thoughts and opinions supported by relevant detail. They should combine ideas and themes in different ways to engage the reader. Planning and information is gathered, collated and organised in a variety of logical ways taking into account the purpose of the activity and learners’ needs and learning style eg., bullet point list or mind-mapping. Wider range of use including news reporting, debating, interviewing; with more awareness of audience and purpose.

To ensure progression and a range of experiences across all levels staff follow the Functional Writing Progression Ladder which provides opportunities for depth and breadth across learning.

Assessment and ModerationPupils writing should be assessed by the teacher, themselves and their peers and linked to Learning Intentions and Success Criteria which are shared and agreed with learners. (LI and SC are available for each level on the L Drive and are linked to benchmarks). In initial stages this would be given verbally or through simple thumbs up, traffic lights and smiley faces. As their writing develops feedback would involve their strengths and next steps. This allows every child to develop an understanding of how they can progress and improve their skills in writing.

Assessment Grids (available on L Drive) are used by staff to support the identification of skills, when planning assessment. The choice of genre assessed will be determined by the programme of work being delivered. Following a programme of work children will produce an unsupported piece of writing linked to clear learning intentions and success criteria. The process of assessment within St John’s will give every child the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding and their ability to transfer and apply skills they have learned.

As part of quality assurance teachers will be involved in moderation activities both within their own establishment and across the Cluster. They will follow the LAR process using the ERC Practitioner Moderation Template which will help teachers develop a shared understanding of a common standard.

St Luke’s High School Cluster Writing Statement

Listening and TalkingEnjoyment and choice St John’s has a created a motivating and challenging environment which develops an awareness of the relevance of texts in our lives.

Tools for listening and talking St John’s supports pupils when interacting or presenting within and beyond their place of learning.

Finding and using informationSt John’s encourages pupils to find and use information when listening to, watching and talking about texts with increasingly complex ideas, structures and specialist vocabulary.

Understanding, analysing and evaluating Pupils have the opportunities to investigate and appreciate texts with increasingly complex ideas, structures and specialist vocabulary for different purposes.

Creating textsSt John’s encourages pupils to apply the elements others use to create different types of short and extended texts with increasingly complex ideas, structures and vocabulary.

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/documents/literacyenglishbenchmarks.pdf

Listening and Talking Enjoyment and Choice

It is recognised that all learning offers numerous opportunities to develop skills in Listening and Talking, nevertheless a coherent, whole school approach to the formal teaching of listening and talking skills is

essential in order to develop confident, articulate individuals who have the requisite skills for learning, life and work. At St John’s we aim to encourage children to articulate their thoughts and opinions and

communicate confidently with others. Pupils learn to empathise, show consideration to others thoughts, opinions and ideas.

Early and First LevelRegular teaching inputs with daily opportunities for enrichment through activities such as: Big Books, Library, story and read-along books, solo talks, author studies, presenting texts through ICT, Circle Time, Bounce Back and News Time.

Second LevelRegular opportunities across learning for children to build on their acquisition of skills to enhance communication with peers using increasingly sophisticated language, demonstrating confidence and clarity when articulating views and opinions to show their understanding of critical literacy. This is delivered through activities such as: Reciprocal Reading, Moving Images, presenting text through ICT, personal news, Loop Cards and games, Bounce Back and debating.

Implementing the ABC’S of talk at all levels, or adopting a similar approach to ensure learners are confident in delivering solo presentations and engaging in group discussions.

In order to encourage pupils to share information, experiences and opinions, explain processes and ideas, clarify points by asking questions, we use a range of resources across all stages: solo/group talks, participation in school groups and assemblies, Committees, Masterclasses and community involvement projects e.g. Lord Provost Debate.

Assessment and Moderation

Essential to effective teaching and learning of Listening and Talking is the consistent use of Learning Intentions and Success Criteria, which are shared and agreed with learners.

Pupils engage regularly in self and peer assessment. The systematic use of feedback and next steps from the teacher is integral to the teaching and learning process. This allows every learner to develop an understanding of how they can progress and improve their skills in listening and talking.

In order to assess pupils’ progress, teachers may use strategies to encourage participation including, no hands up, traffic lights, exit passes, hot-seating, mantle of the expert, debating, read aloud, pair and share.

As part of quality assurance teachers will be involved in moderation activities both within their own establishment and across the Cluster. They will follow the LAR process using the ERC Practitioner Moderation Template which will help teachers develop a shared understanding of a common standard.

St Luke’s High School Cluster Listening and Talking Statement